Coral reefs are one of the most threatened marine systems. Scientists estimate that unless we take immediate action, we could lose up to 90% of coral reefs within our lifetimes. Colorful parrotfish, angelfish, wrasses, barracuda, nurse sharks, stingrays, delicate corals, other invertebrates and turtles—all are inhabitants of Florida’s beautiful coral reefs. Florida's Coral Reef is the largest coral reef ecosystem in the continental U.S., with its extensive shallow coral reefs spanning 358 miles from the Dry Tortugas near Key West, north along the Atlantic coast to Martin County. Fish swim among the corals in Florida's Coral Reef. A juvenile green sea turtle glides over the reef off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. Fish swim among the corals in Florida's Coral Reef. A juvenile green sea turtle glides over the reef off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. Our treasured coral reefs provide Florida with many benefits. Not only are they home to many species of wildlife, including species listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act, they are integral to Florida’s economy, supporting our tourism industry and commercial and recreational fisheries. Additionally, they act as a natural buffer for Florida’s shoreline, helping to lessen the strength of waves, providing natural support for coastal resilience. TNC's South Florida team works to champion the protection, restoration, monitoring and management of the reefs. Coral reef communities are sensitive to threats that are linked to people's actions. From high water temperatures which are dangerous to corals, to pollutants that impact the health of the ecosystem, to our commercial and recreational uses of the reef, sound science-based management practices and careful stewardship are critical to ensure the reefs’ healthy future. That’s where the Florida Reef Resilience Program and the recently published Resilience Action Plan for Florida's Coral Reef come in. The Resilience Action Plan identifies actions that should be implemented by reef managers, policy-makers and reef users to improve the health of the reefs, and there is a significant focus on restoration efforts. Coral restoration has grown from a single-species pilot project in 2004 to a large-scale operation aimed at restoring ecosystem balance to Florida’s Coral Reef today. TNC is currently working with the reef managers to develop a restoration strategy for the state to identify priority focal areas for restoration where, based on the best available science, the outplants are most likely to contribute to the system's recovery. Once that strategy is complete, we will work with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to develop a more detailed plan for restoration within the Kristin Jacobs Coral Reef Ecosystem Conservation Area. These planning efforts are being shaped by a publication by TNC’s Reef Resilience Network and others that outlines a process for managers looking to develop restoration plans. Coral reefs have been in decline since the 1970s due to a number of stressors; some still exist and some have been reduced. Live coral cover is currently less than 10%. A disease which affects about half of the species found on Florida’s Coral Reef has caused an additional dramatic decline over the past eight years. Many organizations throughout Florida are working in partnership to help jump-start reef recovery by propagating corals and outplanting them to degraded sites. Most coral restoration efforts to date have focused on the fast-growing staghorn and elkhorn corals. However, practitioners are expanding to focus on a more holistic approach. Corals grown in nurseries are then attached to the reef using a number of different methods. Corals of many different genetic strains are outplanted on each reef to encourage natural re-seeding of surrounding reefs. Sign up to receive Nature News and updates from Florida. Please enter a valid email address (formatted as name@company.com). We are sorry, but there was a problem processing the reCAPTCHA response. Please contact us at webmaster@tnc.org or try again later. 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